Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Dekjombe Purple’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Dekjombe Purple’, characterized by its relatively small single type inflorescences with bright red purple-colored ray florets; strong and upright flowering stems; short response time; uniform and freely flowering habit; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DEKJOMBE PURPLE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium, commercially grown as a cut flower and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dekjombe Purple’.

The new Chrysanthemum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hensbroek, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely-flowering cut Chrysanthemum plants with single inflorescences, strong flowering stems, short response time and excellent postproduction longevity.

The new Chrysanthemum plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Hensbroek, The Netherlands in November, 2008, of a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 06.51207.02, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 07.60515.01, not patented. The new Chrysanthemum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Hensbroek, The Netherlands in May, 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Hensbroek, The Netherlands since June, 2009 has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dekjombe Purple’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dekjombe Purple’ as a new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant:

-   -   1. Relatively small single type inflorescences with bright red         purple-colored ray florets.     -   2. Strong and upright flowering stems.     -   3. Short response time.     -   4. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Good postproduction longevity; plants maintain good substance         for about 18 days in an interior environment.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower about three days later         than plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have smaller inflorescences         than plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the female parent         selection differ in ray floret shape and color as plants of the         female parent selection have quilled pink-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower about two days earlier         than plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the male parent selection         differ in ray floret color as plants of the male parent         selection have red-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Dekallkind’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hensbroek, The Netherlands, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of ‘Dekallkind’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered about five days         earlier than plants of ‘Dekallkind’.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had smaller inflorescences         than plants of ‘Dekallkind’.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and ‘Dekallkind’ differed in         ray floret color as plants of ‘Dekallkind’ had red-colored ray         florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Chrysanthemum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Chrysanthemum plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering stem of ‘Dekjombe Purple’ grown as a spray-type.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises close-up views of the upper (top of the photograph) and lower surfaces (bottom of the photograph) of typical inflorescences and leaves of ‘Dekjombe Purple’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the winter in ground beds in a glass-covered greenhouse in Hensbroek, The Netherlands and under commercial cut Chrysanthemum cultural practices. Plants were initially given two weeks of long day/short night treatments followed by short day/long night treatments to induce flower initiation and development. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 25° C., night temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 22° C. and light levels were about 7,000 lux. Plants were eight weeks old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Dekjombe     Purple’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number             06.51207.02, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number             07.60515.01, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About four days at 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About six days at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 13 days             at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 15 days             at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; light brown in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance and growth habit.—Herbaceous single type cut             flower that is typically grown as a spray-type; moderately             vigorous growth habit.         -   Flowering stem description.—Aspect: Erect. Strength: Strong.             Length: About 60 cm. Stem diameter: About 5 mm. Spray             diameter: About 15 cm to 20 cm. Internode length: About 1 cm             to 2 cm. Texture: Densely pubescent; longitudinally ridged.             Color: Close to 148A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length:             About 5 cm to 8 cm. Width: About 3 cm to 4.5 cm. Apex:             Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Palmately lobed, serrate;             sinuses parallel. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescent, slightly rough; veins prominent on lower surface.             Venation pattern: Pinnate, reticulate. Color: Developing             leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A. Developing leaves,             lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully developed leaves, upper             surface: Close to N137D; venation, close to 147C. Fully             developed leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation,             close to 146D. Petiole: Length: About 0.5 cm to 1.5 cm.             Diameter: About 2 mm to 3 mm. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Slightly rough. Color, upper surface: Close to             147C. Color, lower surface: Close to 146D. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Single type inflorescence form with oval to             oblong-shaped ray florets and tubular disc florets;             inflorescences borne perpendicular to axillary laterals             (peduncles); ray and disc florets develop acropetally on a             capitulum.         -   Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plant flower             in the autumn/winter in the Northern Hemisphere; at other             times of the year, inflorescence initiation and development             can be induced under short day/long night conditions (at             least 13.5 hours of darkness); uniform flowering habit and             short response time, plants exposed to two weeks of long             day/short night conditions after planting followed by             photoinductive short day/long night conditions flower about             38 days later when grown as a spray-type.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Good postproduction longevity; in             an interior environment, inflorescences and foliage will             maintain good color and substance for about 18 days;             inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering habit; when             grown as a spray type, about 85 inflorescences develop.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 2 cm to 2.5 cm. Depth             (height): About 5 mm to 8 mm. Disc diameter: About 8 mm.             Receptacle height: About 4 mm. Receptacle diameter: About             4 mm. Receptacle color: Close to 145B.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Shape: Flattened spherical. Height:             About 2 mm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Color: Close to 144A and             149D.         -   Ray florets.—Length: About 1.2 cm to 1.5 cm. Width: About 5             mm to 7 mm. Shape: Oval to oblong. Apex: Rounded or             tri-dentate. Base: Attenuate or fused. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny.             Number per inflorescence: About 20 arranged in one or two             whorls. Aspect: About 30° from horizontal to horizontal.             Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 59A. When             opening, lower surface: Close to 70A to 70B. Fully opened,             upper surface: Close to 72A. Fully opened, lower surface:             Close to 77B to 77C.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Fused tubular, erect and elongated.             Apex: Dentate. Length: About 3 mm to 4 mm. Diameter: About             0.5 mm to 1 mm. Number per inflorescence: About 175 massed             at the center of the receptacle in numerous whorls. Color,             when opening: Apex: Close to 145B. Mid-section: Close to 4A.             Base: Close to 145D. Color, fully opened: Apex and             mid-section: Close to 3B. Mid-section: Close to 2C. Base:             Close to 145D.         -   Involucral bracts.—Length: About 3 mm to 6 mm. Width: About             1 mm to 3 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Rounded to             truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Number per inflorescence: About 20             arranged in about two to three whorls. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 137C to 137D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm to             1.5 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Angle: About 30° from             the flowering stem axis. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to             146C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Not observed. Gynoecium:             Present on both ray and disc florets. Style length: About             3 mm. Style color: Greenish yellow. Stigma color: Yellowish.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Chrysanthemums has not been observed on plants grown under     commercial conditions. 

1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Dekjombe Purple’ as illustrated and described. 